The work session at the Civic Center Social Room was well-attended by citizens. Steve Byrd and Gary Cinder of the public works department put togther the drawings illutrating the original TDOT plan and the changes TDOT has agreed can be made. Mr. Byrd explained the drawings to the five Council members and the citizens. In an unusual move for a work session, the Mayor, Tom Behan, opened the meeting to comments and questions from the citizens.

So here is where I have come to so far in this process. I still believe the city needs to create a process for insuring that residential buyers are made aware, before closing, of all the restrictions and easements on the property. I do not believe that this is interference in developers' rights to sell their property. (I would like it to include commercial properties as well.) This is a matter of existing citizens looking out for potential neighbors.

As for the options on widening SR 95, I was at last persuaded that there is a legitimate reason for not postponing the road any further - absolutely provided that the proposed changes are put into place to protect, as much as possible, the existing residences. I am not convinced that 4-laning 95 will magically attract industry to Horizon and Heritage Centers that they have not attracted heretofore. There are, however, additional residents on the westernmost end of the city whose connection to those of us at the center of town will remain tenuous at best so long as the road is the uncompleted bottleneck it has been. I am hoping that the changes to TDOT's design will be accepted by the residents of Sweet Gum and Southwood as a best compromise outcome for the city residents as a whole.

I still regret that some people have been caught in what amounts to a "caveat emptor" dilemma. I expect the city to take very seriously the need for plainer disclosure for all our potential neighbors. This is a quality of life issue on many fronts.